Learn to analyze, design, and innovate
Mechanical Engineering applies the fields of physics, mathematics, and materials science to the design and realization of mechanical and thermal systems. For over a century mechanical engineers have played a central role in creating the infrastructure of modern society while addressing the emerging interdisciplinary challenges of tomorrow.
At SCU, you’ll receive a rigorous theoretical foundation coupled with hands-on laboratories and projects. You’ll have the opportunity to make real connections with faculty and even work with them on cutting-edge research. Rooted in the Jesuit tradition, our curriculum challenges students to consider the moral, ethical, and social impacts of engineering while supporting entrepreneurial thinking. Combined with the breadth of the core curriculum, the mechanical engineering program at SCU trains the whole person to create engineers of conscience, competence, and compassion.
Our undergraduates take advantage of our prime location in the heart of Silicon Valley to gain experience in summer internships and find sponsors for design projects. Our M.S. and Ph.D. programs welcome students from all over the world as well as those practicing engineers working right here in the Valley. Graduates of our programs work in the Valley and beyond in diverse industries such as aerospace, autonomous vehicles, semiconductors, medical devices, data science, Internet of things, and advanced manufacturing.
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Students, Alums, and Faculty Spotlights
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An Affordable Prosthetic Hand for Global Change
Prosthetic hands can cost thousands of dollars. Steven Reimer ’24 designed one for less than $300. His research will provide free prosthetics to amputees in India.
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Microscopic Strokes of Genius
Professor On Shun Pak and his team of student researchers use microrobots to model the swimming motion of bacteria in the hopes of engineering more effective cancer treatments.
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Dr. Ayoubi elected as 2025 AIAA Associate Fellow
Professor Mohammad A. Ayoubi has been elected to the Class of 2025 Associate Fellows of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), the world’s largest aerospace professional society.
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Kitts leads collaborative NSF project to build institutional capacity for external technology partnerships
Chris Kitts (Mechanical Engineering), Eric Tillman (Chemistry & Biochemistry), and Mary-Ellen Fortini (Sponsored Projects) have received an award from the National Science Foundation to support their project on building institutional capacity for external partnerships.
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Pak to explore how bacteria swim and navigate their environment with robophysical modeling
Professor On Shun Pak has received a research grant from the National Science Foundation to combine fluid dynamics, microbiology, and robotics to investigate how bacteria swim and navigate complex environments.
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Kitts honored as one of the “Top 40 Silicon Valley Leaders to Watch”
Professor Chris Kitts (Mechanical Engineering) was honored as one of the “Top 40 Silicon Valley Leaders to Watch” by the Association for Corporate Growth Silicon Valley.
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Kira Hofelmann ’24 featured in the article "Where Fun Meets Functionality"
At SCU, mechanical engineering student Kira Hofelmann ’24 solves real-world robotic problems—and makes lightsabers in her spare time.
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American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Region VI Student Conference Lands at Santa Clara
On March 23-24, 2024, the Department of Mechanical Engineering and the School of Engineering hosted the 2024 American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Region VI Student Conference at Santa Clara University.
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Peter Schumacher ’24 featured in the article "The Tinker Twins"
For these lifelong makers, art, engineering, and a passion for marine biology came together in this year’s Kinetic Design Challenge.
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Pak to explore the use of active vesicles for development of novel therapeutic delivery systems
With funding support from the National Science Foundation, the project will unlock the potential of active lipid vesicles for directed delivery and controlled release of therapeutic payloads.
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Wang awarded National Science Foundation grant to develop advanced materials with AI
This transformative venture aims to uncover the secrets behind how the structure of materials influences their properties with the assistance of AI.
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Pak awarded Petroleum Research Fund of the American Chemical Society
This award will support Pak’s research on the dynamics of emulsion drops under electric fields, laying the foundation for improving the demulsification process of oilfield emulsions.
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Kitts recognized for sustained excellence in scholarship
This year's University Award for Sustained Excellence in Scholarship went to Dr. Chris Kitts in Mechanical Engineering for his work in the design, control, and teleoperation of highly advanced robotic systems for scientific discovery, technology validation, and engineering education.
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Smart microrobots learn how to swim and navigate with artificial intelligence
Researchers from SCU and collaborators have successfully taught microrobots how to swim via deep reinforcement learning, marking a substantial leap in the progression of microswimming capability.
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MECH alumnus Sam Bertram selected as Forbes 30 Under 30
MECH alumnus Sam Bertram '16, M.S. '18 of OnePointOne selected as Forbes 30 Under 30: Social Impact. Sam is the Co-Founder and CEO of OnePointOne, which is revolutionizing vertical farming through automation, AI and plant science
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RSL developing novel marine systems through $1.3 Million of external grants
Faculty, staff and students in the Robotic Systems Laboratory (RSL), directed by Dr. Christopher Kitts, are currently working on several innovative marine systems as part of three grants valued at more than $1,300,000. These include development of a deep sea water sampler using shape memory alloy technology to sample water at temperatures of up to 200 deg C (National Science Foundation), a new hybrid aerial/underwater vehicle (Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute), and a long duration autonomous underwater robot (Office of Naval Research).